


Repress

by xLullaBee



Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Rating May Change, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 04:04:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18909181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLullaBee/pseuds/xLullaBee
Summary: The church has started a program among its youth, called "Buddies in God," where teenagers are to find an outcast in their school and treat them as a friend over the course of a month. Travis wants no part of this program, but from the pushy encouragement of several teasing classmates and soon the teacher, he's pressured into choosing Sal, because of their rocky relationship. Follow their experiences for that month and then months after as secrets are admitted and emotional shields are put down.





	Repress

**Author's Note:**

> This story is also posted on wattpad, don't smite me. It can be found under the name @supergearboy in case you like Wattpad's format more than AO3 uwu.

Travis Phelps sat uncomfortably in his desk surveying the room, ready for the bell to ring so he could get out of there. He didn't know why, but he was more anxious than normal that day, and wanted to avoid anyone and everyone's attention to the best of his ability.  
Luckily, no one seemed to be paying him any mind, at least, no one worth his worrying. Jane Parker was too busy talking to her friends, Joseph Snyder had his head ducked to see a video game he was playing under his desk, Sal Fisher was-  
Travis' heart skipped a beat when his eyes landed on a pair of blue pigtails, making his fingers twitch as if trying to grip onto a last bit of stability that wasn't there. At the same time, a wave of shame and forced anger spread through his body, making his face grow warm. Sal Fisher was the last person he wanted to think about right now, but at the same time the only one he couldn't seem to keep his mind, or eyes at the moment, off of. He wasn't even doing anything of significance, either; just drinking out of a water bottle with a blue silly straw to avoid lifting up his mask. But God, for some reason it lit Travis' heart on fire and turned his mind to mush. He hated it, he hated him. At least, that's what he would so desperately tell himself to make the waves of shame stop washing his conscious of the butterflies that boy gave him.  
He didn't notice he was still staring until Sal glanced in his direction, causing him to quickly flick his head up and pretend to be looking at the wall behind Sal's head. He prayed that the sudden redness in his cheeks would go unnoticed, breathing a silent sigh of relief when Sal looked back down and he could safely turn back right in his chair to put his head down. He was practically begging the bell to ring now, he didn't know how much longer he could sit there.

"Mr. Phelps," the teacher called, causing Travis' head to shoot up involuntarily.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I heard the church was doing something special with the kids your age, mind filling me in?"

All eyes turned on him, making his hands curl into fists of raw anxiety. This teacher usually avoided speaking to him outside of classwork and lectures, why did she have to decide to talk to him now? He didn't want to explain whatever new idea his father had thought up, especially not to someone it wouldn't affect in the slightest. Lord forbid he tell her no and his father find out, though.

"It's a new thing my father thought of a little while ago," he said, straightening his posture and trying to seem like he wasn't barely holding it together, "a bunch of the teenagers are supposed to befriend someone considered an outcast in their school for a few weeks." 

He could feel a few of his peers' eyes peel away from him, finding his statement unappealing to listen to.

"It's...supposed to spread a message of inclusivity and possibly bring new members into the faith."

The majority of the room's attention was no longer on him, save the teacher and a couple nosey kids.

"That's a wonderful idea," the teacher cooed, a smile forming on her lips. 

"Are you participating as well, Travis? Have you found someone to pair up with yet?"

Travis shook his head. "No ma'am, not yet. I haven't really seen anyone that fits what I'm looking for." 

That was a lie, there were plenty of kids he could befriend, hell, he was one of this school's outcasts. It would probably count if he somehow got a puppet of himself and carried it around for a while.

"There's Sally Face," a voice piped up, earning a wave of snickers and giggles from the room; and causing  poor Sal to choke on a mouthful of water. Everyone knew how tense it was between the zealot and the blue haired boy, and the person that made the suggestion was obviously driven by malice.

"He's got friends," Travis muttered quickly, but it was too little too late, their teacher was already grinning ear to ear.

"That's an idea! I'm surprised you didn't think of that, Travis."

Travis bit his lip, "You don't even know if he wants to-"

"I'm fine with it," Sal interrupted with a shrug.

Travis could only grimace and nod, knowing there was no other way to fight the arrangement. He silently cursed the bell that rang only seconds after, grabbing his books and making a beeline for the bathroom, fast enough so no one would have time to tease or prod at him. He was halfway down the hall when he heard Sal call after him, but he had no intention of stopping to talk. Not right now.

Travis pushed the door to the boys' bathroom open, walking quickly to the last stall. That stall had become a place he knew well the past two years. A safe haven. Somewhere he could let his emotions run wild in private. A place he needed right that minute.   
The zealot pushed the stall door shut and locked it, dropping his books on the floor with a thud. He let out a long sigh and leaned against the wall, letting himself sink to the floor.

This was the last thing he wanted, if he wanted anything at all.

He brought his knees up to his chest.

Sal Fisher, why Sal fucking Fisher of all people? 

He put his face in his hands.

Damn whoever thought it would ever be a good idea for Travis Phelps and Sal Fisher to try and get along.

He sniffled.

And cried.

Travis' defenses had fallen and the emotional dam broke, leaving him to melt into a miserable, shaky puddle on the bathroom floor. Quiet sobs filled the silence and echoed off the walls, only serving to remind its source of how pitiful he was. He hated it, he hated this. He hated how miserable and powerless he felt. He hated the situation he was in. He hated this school. He hated his classmates.

He hated Sal Fisher.

The thought made his chest lock up and burn, making him clutch at it with shaky hands. He didn't need this right now, he didn't need the painful reminder that he was lying to himself. But there it was, as well as the sound of the bathroom door opening outside the stall. And then the last voice he wanted to hear.

"Hey, Travis? Are you in here? You seemed upset, I just wanted to check up on you."

Damn his kindness, was all Travis could think, biting back a groan and holding his breath. Maybe if Sal didn't hear anything he would go away.  
He was so focused on not making noise, that he didn't noticed the sound of footsteps walking up to the other side of the stall door.

"...Travis?"

Travis jumped at the voice, not expecting it to be so close. He looked down and immediately cursed the sight of worn blue sneakers in the gap between the stall door and the floor. He mustered up any confidence he had left and wiped at his eyes with his sleeve.

"What the f-fuck do you want?"

He cursed himself for stuttering, just barely holding back from slamming his head back against the wall.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay after what happened in class."

"I'm fucking dandy, Sally Face."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Silence. How the hell was Travis supposed to respond to that? 'Yeah, I'm pissed at the entire fucking school because some fuckers decided to pair me up with the boy that makes me walk on air and at the same time fucking hate myself over every time I catch a glimpse of him.'

"There's nothing to fucking talk about."

The words felt like venom on his tongue. He regretted it. He regretted it even more with the solid minute of silence that came after.

"Okay then, the offer still stands if there ever is, though."

"Fan-fucking-tastic. Can you buzz off now?"

"...Right."

Travis heard footsteps walking away from the stall door.

"H-Hey, Sally Face, wait."

The footsteps stopped.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, meet me after school, at the flagpole, so I can explain this stupid buddy shit better and we can get it the fuck over with."

A few moments of silence.

"Yeah, alright. I'll see you after school, then."

"Great."

The bathroom door opened and closed a moment later, telling Travis he was alone again. He sighed deeply and hugged his knees.

This was going to fucking suck.

**Author's Note:**

> Please please please leave a comment if you liked it; right now this fic is being tested out to see if I should continue based on how much people like it.


End file.
